


Durmstrang influence

by TryAgain_FailAgain_FailBetter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Durmstrang, Friendship, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Triwizard Tournament, slytherin squad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2019-10-09 02:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17398085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TryAgain_FailAgain_FailBetter/pseuds/TryAgain_FailAgain_FailBetter
Summary: The arrival of Durmstrang and Beauxbâtons at Hogwarts for the triwizards tournament brings in a feeling of novelty. Especially to Draco Malfoy. To him, the main change comes in the form of Damyan Petrov.





	1. Newcomers

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy this fanfiction. I'll do my best to post regurlarly. Comments and kuddos are welcome =)
> 
>  
> 
> PS : if you're interested in beta-reading the rest of the ff before I post it, please send me a message !! As a French speaker, I probably make some stupid mistakes...

 

1994, 30 October.

 

     Fifteen minutes. They had been waiting in lines, in the freezing cold air, for fifteen bloody minutes now and there was still no sign of the Beauxbâtons or Durmstrang delegations. In the front, first years were unusually quiet, scrutinizing the horizon while loud exited chatters came from the back rows.  For once, Slytherins were no exception to the rule. Behind him, a group of boys was chatting animatedly about the Beauxbâtons witches. Draco sniffed. _Like you’d have the slightest chance with any of them_ , he thought. Tightening his cloak around his slender body, he glanced at Pansy at his side and grimaced. The small brunette was putting on make-up (again) and she looked more like a painted carrot than a pure-blood witch. He was to tell her so when Dumbledore called out from the back row.

     “Here they come! The delegation from Beauxbâtons.”

     Misunderstanding travelled across the assembly for no one could spot the French witches and wizards until a sharp “HERE!” tore the silence. Everybody turned to the small Hufflepuff and then to the direction he was pointing out in the sky. Winged golden horses were galloping above the Forbidden forest, pulling a dark carriage. They landed in a thump and a few students took a step back before the imposing convoy. The next second, a flow of witches dressed in pale blue dresses escaped the carriage graciously. A cloud of magical butterflies rose from under their cloaks only to be broken by the acrobatics of Beauxbâtons boys. When the little show was over, a woman – no, a giant woman – stepped out of the carriage. Her warm smile contrasted vividly with her massive stature. She walked to Dumbledore and saluted him as well as the other teachers.

     Draco didn’t waste time observing the newcomers. Instead, he scanned the horizon, looking for any signs of the Durmstrang delegation. He could have been among them. He SHOULD have been among them. The Slytherin loved his mother – he truly did, maybe more than anything in the world – but he was truly cross with her about that one decision. He could have been learning the dark arts among respectable wizards rather than suffer the daily sight of Potter and his excuse for friends….

     Because he couldn’t see well enough, Draco asked Vincent and Gregory to drive people out of his field of vision. The two Slytherins obeyed immediately and pushed a few of their housemates aside. Draco now had the perfect view to admire a colossal Nordic ship split the waters of the lake. Without thinking, the blond took a few steps forward. The powerful beauty emanating from the ship was just too attracting.

     After the sails were folded away, Durmstrang students landed. Despite their heavy coats made of fur, they quickly reached the castle. Karkaroff, the director of Durmstrang Institute, was leading the small procession, directly followed by his champion, the one and only, Viktor Krum. Their pace was stiff and threatening. From afar, they could easily have been confused with a group of militaries walking into an unknow territory – both determined and cautious. But it’s not them who caught Draco’s eyes. Bringing up the rear, dressed in a simple and furless blood-red coat, a teenager stood out from the group. His movements were smooth and his face relaxed. Even from the distance, Draco could feel confidence radiating from him.

     The Slytherin quietly watched them enter the castle before making his way in. He followed from afar as all the students gathered in the Great Hall. Hogwarts students sat at their respective tables and were quickly joined by Durmstrang and Beauxbaton’s witches and wizards. Thanks Merlin for extension spells… Draco made his way to his usual spot which, despite the crowded state of the Great Hall, remained free.

     “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and — most particularly, — guests. I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope…” Draco quickly tuned out Dumbledore speech. Welcome, be kind, have fun, eat bla bla bla. Been there, heard that already. Instead, Draco scanned the room and the fresh faces. A few Durmstrang students had joined their table but not a single soul dressed in blue was to be seen. The slytherin smiled at that. Their reputation had apparently crossed the border! The other houses didn’t have this problem, though. Students actually had to squeeze in in order to all fit on the benches. Hadn’t he been a Malfoy, Draco would have laughed his ass off at the sight in front of him. Two slim and smiling witches from Beauxbaton were seated between some Bulgari wizards built like tanks. Stuck in their wide fur coats, the two wizards were stiff and didn’t dare make a move, probably afraid to crush the poor girls.

     After scanning most of the faces, Draco realized most of the guests seemed older than he was.  Most of them looked like they were over 16. But the fact that Durmstrang boys were tall, and large and had ice cold eyes might contribute to this impression. Well, not all of them were like that. There was that one boy… Instinctively, Draco’s eyes searched the crowd. And then, he spotted him. Contrary to his fellow schoolmates, said boy wasn’t stiff or stern. Right now, he was seated at the Ravenclaw table and talking to Terry Boot. Draco took his time to watch him. He analysed his attitude, his build and appearance, his eyes. His navy-blue eyes. His navy-blue eyes that were staring right back at him. Draco started and he quickly looked away. He’d been caught staring. Bloody hell… He waited a few seconds and dared a rapid glance. And…. yep… the stranger was still staring at him… And he had the nerve to raise his glass to Draco. The blonde’s cheeks were red from embarrassment. Once again, he looked away and decided that he would not raise his head again. Nope. Dinner was served and he would not look at the Bulgari wizard again. He won’t.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

     Dinner had been over for a good fifteen minutes but everyone was still seating at the tables. People were talking and making acquaintances with the new students. Draco knew he should enter the conversations. It was a good time to make his name known. But the slytherin was not in a chatty mood. He could still feel blue eyes burning holes in his skin and he didn't dare look up. He stood up and headed toward the doors, Grabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Millicent in his tracks. They were already standing in front of the changing staircases when he heard his name, loud, and with a clear eastern accent.

     “Malfoy!”

     Draco turned around and there he was. A lump in his throat made it hard to answer so he just stared at the boy, knowing his eyes would do the talking.

     “Zis castle is huge. Prrretty sure zere’s a lot to see. Mind showing me arrround?” His English was almost perfect except for the light accent that remained.

     “Do I look like a bloody tourist guide to you?” Draco drawled despite the growing excitation that took over his body.

     “I don’t know, you tell me.” He was smirking and his dark blue eyes were gleaming with amusement. They remained there, just staring at each other, a silent conversation going on between them, a staring contest that the brunette eventually won.

     “Crabbe, Goyle, get lost. You too, girls.”

     “But Draky,” Pansy whined immediately. The look he shot her was hard enough to make her stop right there though. And without further explanations, he climbed the first steps of the staircase that had just appeared, knowing that the Durmstrang boy would be right behind him.

     “So… Drrraky hum?” he quickly said, amusement clear in his tone.

     “As you said, Hogwarts is huge. It’s easy getting lost here… If you know what I mean?” the blonde threatened lazily as he left the staircase and took a turn on the right, leading the two of them toward the astronomy tower.

     The brunette laughed “Got it. So how can I call you zen?”

     “Malfoy’s fine”, he said, but the brunette tilted his head to the side and his smile turned into a playful pout.

     “Oy. And me who thought we werrre becoming grrreat frrriends”

     “I don’t even know your name” Draco simply said. The brunette stopped dead in his track and hold his hand to Draco.

     “Damyan Petrov.” Draco stared at his hand for a while. The situation oddly reminded him of his first year, when he had hold his hand to Potter just the way Damyan was now holding his. Something twisted inside Draco’s guts. A strong feeling, a buzz, that made it clear he didn’t want his relationship with Petrov to look anything like the one he had with Potter. So, he shook the brunette's hand with conviction.

      They spent a good hour wandering around the castle. After visiting the different classrooms, the library, the donjon and other significant places, the two boys ended up at the top of the astronomy tower. Damyan immediately took a liking in the place. He liked everything, from the dusty wooden floor to the high opened windows. And the view… Merlin, he loved the view! From up here, he could see the infinity of the dark forest, the moon reflecting on the lake and their ship silently moving with the wind.

     “Do you play?” Draco asked while leaning beside him against the rail. Damyan followed the blonde’s eyes and caught a glimpse of the Quidditch pitch.

     “Nah.” And it was apparently the wrong answer for Draco looked at him with his eyes wide open. Suddenly, Damyan was peppered with questions. And questions were quickly followed by an impressive praise of Quidditch by Draco. He talked about the beauty of the game, the adrenaline, the rush and obviously he told Damyan about his own talent.

     “Okay, I got it, Seekerrr boy.” Damyan interrupted Draco’s speech. “You’rrre big deal and Quidditch iz awesome. Maybe I’ll trrry it sometimes.”

     “Try it? He’s wondering about trying Quidditch! Bloody hell, I knew something had to be wrong with you. No one is as perfect as he looks. Well, except for me, of course.” And there it was, the smirk made-in-Malfoy.

     “Perrrfection clearrrly doesn’t come wiz modesty! Anyway, it’s late. And I still need to find my rrroom.”

     “I think Durmstrang dormitories are located in the South tower. Remember where that is?”

     “How am I supposed to rrremember? Zis castle is a fucking maze!”

     “Are you always this crude?” Draco asked as if he’d been personally offended by the words.

     “Betterrr get used to it.” The Bulgarian responded with a big smile. Draco just snorted before heading down the astronomy tower. “Oy, wait for me, Malfoy.”

     The two teenagers walked together to the South tower. Despite Pansy's particular gift for gossip, Draco hadn’t been able to find out the exact position of the Durmstrang common room and dormitories. That’s why they had to turn to portraits for directions. Some scolded at them for being “too noisy” and waking them up but they eventually gathered the intel they needed. The entry was covered by the tapestry of a fisherman on the bank of a frozen river. When the old man saw the red cloak draped around Damyan’s shoulders, he immediately asked for the password. He had a strong accent and Draco barely understood his request. Damyan and the fisherman exchanged a few words in what seemed to be Russian and Draco just waited on the side. He hated being left out of a conversation… When Damyan was done, he just walked away from the tapestry.

     “Err… Aren’t you going to enter your common room?”

     “Oh. I don’t sleep in the dorrrmitories. I have my own room.” The brunette simply replied as if it was the most obvious thing.

     “You have your own room? Nobody gets his own room except teachers and prefects. Trust me, I tried!”

     Damyan stopped in front of a tapestry down the corridor and gave the password “Pegasus” without caring for his voice level. He pushed opened the tapestry and when he was half inside, he looked one last time at the Slytherin.

     “We all have ourrr little secrrrets, Malfoy. ‘Night”

     And just like that, he was gone.


	2. The Goblet of Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2nd chapter guys. Let me know what you think (good or bad!)  
> Thanks =)

1994, 31 October.

 

     Just like every morning, Draco took his time to arrange his clothes, fix his hair and check on his homework. When he was ready, he called for (understand : summoned) Crabbe and Goyle. The two boys trotted out of their dormitory in a hurry and the little group made its way to the Great hall for brunch. They joined Pansy and Millicent who were already at the table. Thanks to the arrival of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons delegations, students had been given a day off and a special brunch was being served. The tables were quite empty for now. Students were either still sleeping or gathered around the Goblet of fire. Seemed like Hogwarts had found its new curiosity. The Goblet and the tournament had become the only subjects of conversation. Excitement had taken over pretty much everybody in the castle. Only Filch remained his usual grumpy self. He was trotting around the castle, scolding at every student, complaining about the "unnecessary fuss". 

     In the Great Hall, Draco was finishing his tea when Damyan made his entry. Once again, he looked nothing like his Durmstrang companions. He was wearing some dark denim jeans and a black sweater. His head was covered by a red cap, itself covered by the sweater’s hood. At least, he was wearing black and red…  Contrary to the previous day, Damyan’s face wasn’t warm or smiling. Apparently, he was not a morning person. He walked straight to the Slytherin table and sat across Draco. Without a word, he grabbed the coffee pot, served himself a cup and drank it straight.

     “You know, people usually get dressed before getting out of their room.” Draco drawled while putting down his cup and looking at Damyan up and down with a frown.

     “Didn’t know you werrre parrrt of the fashion police, Malfoy.” His voice was still a little husky from sleep. “Arrre you always zis hung-up? I mean…it’s only half past ten and you’rrre alrrready complaining. Got to take this brrroom off of your arrrse, solnyshko.”

     … Pure silence … That’s the response Damyan received. It seemed like all the Slytherins around them had frozen on the spot. They were all gaping at Damyan, like he had just cast an unforgivable curse or worse. Even Crabbe and Goyle had stopped eating, and that meant a lot!  No one dared talking to Draco like that. Everybody knew it would bring nothing good. First, because the blonde could get pretty loud when he was upset. But also, because, through the years, the blonde had developed a talent for taking sneaky revenge. Unfortunately, it seemed like Damyan wasn’t aware of that little detail.

     The slytherins were anxiously looking at Draco, waiting for a new Malfoy tantrum. But the blonde did nothing of the sort because, under the cap, he could see Damyan’s sparkling eyes challenging him, testing him. No way he was falling in his trap. Instead, he replied slowly :

     “Sure. And maybe I could stick it into YOUR arse after that, so you can learn a little about manners and decency.”

     Damyan laughed loudly. “Sounds like a plan. But beforrre, how 'bout we go watch and laugh at all the wankers trrrying to get past the age barrrier of the goblet?”

     Draco cringed at the bad language but replied “I like your way of thinking, Petrov. I’m pretty sure the weasels’ twins will be a show of their own.”

     They finished eating in a comfortable silence, while their neighbours were still too shocked to do anything. The two wizards were either oblivious to their situation or they simply didn’t care for they didn’t say a single word to ease the tension. When they were done, they simply stood up and left the Great Hall. Grabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Millicent followed, just rolling with it. They headed toward the adjoining room where the Goblet of Fire was located. Malfoy led the little group to an empty portion of the wooden bleachers - bleachers that had been especially installed for the event. Goyle and Crabbe sat at the back, a bowl of sweets and a game of exploding snap between them. The four remaining teenagers were left chatting and judging the wizards and witches who came putting their names into the Goblet. “Jeez, she’s already crying and the tasks haven’t started yet!”, “Idiot”, “Not a chance he'll surrrvive a single task”, “I duelled this guy, blew him away in two sec”, “This girl is a fucking badass” “Hufflepuff, next” …

     When Viktor Krum made his entry, they all turned silent though. In the room, everybody stopped what he or she was doing. All eyes were on the Quidditch player now. As usual, Director Karkakoff was by his side. The tall Russian patted his champion’s shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Krum nodded, his face closed and sharp. Slowly, he made his way to the Goblet. The magical age barrier opened for him and he dropped his paper into the cup. Still in silence, he turned around and threw his fist in the air. Suddenly, the room burst into loud cheers and clapping. A group of Durmstrang boys was chanting his name. Pansy and Millicent joined in quickly. Draco was clapping slightly too. Beside him, Damyan had thrown his head back in annoyance.

     “What is it? Don’t you like Krum?” Draco asked out of pure curiosity. The brunette didn’t even had time to answer that Pansy had jumped into the conversation.

     “What?!?” she shrieked, putting her hands in front of her mouth as if it was the most outrageous thing she’d ever heard. “You don’t like Krum? But… everybody likes him! He is so strong, and talented, and famous. I bet he’s even rich thanks to his position in the Bulgarian Quidditch team!”

     “Exactly” Damyan continued. “People don’t like him, zey like his so-called fame…zat’s differrrent. And stupid.”

     “Well…It depends” replied Pansy, who was now inspecting her manicure. “For some people, being recognized, loved and looked at, is actually a goal in itself. So, as an individual, when you recognize this so-called fame, as you put it, well… then you give them what they want and therefore you…you validate who they are. In that case, liking them for who they are and liking their fame are relative. Don’t you think?” The Slytherin dropped her hands on her lap and looked at her friends. They were all staring right back at her with wide eyes and open mouths. “What? Do I have something in my hair? On my face?” she said, panic clear in her voice. No one answered – they were clearly still taken aback. Pansy stood up suddenly and ran out of the room, her hands covering her face and now watering eyes.

     “Merlin” Millicent sighed, “I don’t know if I should be amazed or terrified by how her brain works! Anyway, I should go before she dehydrates herself from crying too much. See ya.” The bulky girl said, leaving the boys alone.

     Through the day, several attempts were made in order to deceive the age barrier. Most of them were, of course, perpetrated by the Weasley twins and one by one, they were crushed by the goblet. Their first try even caused them to be sent flying onto the floor. Draco and Damyan, as well as all the persons in the room, immediately burst out laughing.

     On the third attempt though, laughter turned into whispers. The twins had concocted an aging potion. After they took it, their bodies and voices changed, becoming those of men in their eighties. Everybody was looking expectantly at them because this could actually work. Even the Slytherins were staring with interest. Damyan, who was fascinated with metamorphosis, had his eyes glued to the ginger twins. Out of excitement, the Bulgarian put his hand on Draco’s tight and squeezed. The suspense was killing him.

     Beside him, Draco tensed. People didn’t get all touchy touchy with him. Well, except for Pansy and Millie but he had known them since they were four. It was different. And still, even the two girls knew where the limits were. Anyway, apart from them, people didn’t get close. They stayed at safe distance and Draco was good with that. But it seemed like, once again, Damyan didn’t have the memo. Eventually, the brunette dropped his hand when the Weasley’s attempt failed and Draco let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

     “Fuck, I rrreally thought it could have worrrked!” Damyan blurted.

     “As if!” Crabbe interrupted. “Failure runs in this family.” The two Slytherins who hadn’t say a word for the past two hours were now snickering. Damyan ignored them and looked at Draco. The blonde was unusually quiet, his eyes focused on the spot Damyan’s hand used to be. Damyan smiled. He was to say something when a voice called out his name. He raised his head and looked at the Durmstrang wizard waving at him at the entrance doors. The brunette frowned but still raised to his feet.

      “Well, seems like I’m needed somewherrre. See ya arrround boyz.”

      Draco looked up at him with dazed eyes but his stoic mask was soon back in place. He nodded at the Bulgarian. Damyan responded with a big smile of his own and left the room.

XxXxXxX

     The next time Draco caught sight of Damyan that day was during the Halloween feast. Just like the previous evening, Damyan was seated at the Ravenclaw table. Well, at least what used to be the Ravenclaw table… At the moment, it rather looked like a multi-coloured noisy combination of witches and wizards! With all the new students in the castle, it seemed easier to mingle. People just came and went. Only the Slytherin table remained quite identical to its usual self – quiet, neat and green. Only a few selected students from Durmstrang had been welcomed to join them.

     After the plates and dishes were cleaned out, the Goblet of fire was brought into the Great Hall by Hagrid. Everybody turned silent as Dumbledore, Karkaroff and Maxime walked forward the platform in front of the teachers’ table. They looked both excited and tense. _Pretty normal when you’re about to throw one of your students into a likely near-death experience,_ Draco thought.

     Dumbledore launched himself in one of is famous speech but quickly enough all the lights of the Great Hall dimmed. Everybody was eyeing the gleaming Goblet expectantly now. Suddenly, red flames started enveloping the Goblet and a first piece of parchment flew out of it. Dumbledore caught the enchanted paper and everyone hold his breath.

     “The champion for Durmstrang” he announced loudly “will be Viktor Krum.”

     A loud cheer of applause swept the Great Hall. Many students had rose to their feet and were chanting Krum’s name. The champion stood up as well and waved at the crowd before slowly making his way to the adjoining room. Out of the corner of his eyes, Draco could see a red head screaming and jumping in excitement. He sighed disdainfully and scanned the cheering hall, looking for another familiar face. The brunette he was looking for was clapping unenthusiastically. He must have felt eyes on him for he immediately looked at Draco. The blonde raised a mocking eyebrow at his desperate state and Damyan couldn’t prevent a little laugh from escaping his mouth. He shook his head amused but his attention was quickly stolen by a reddening Goblet.

     Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory were selected reciprocally by the Goblet as Beauxbaton and Hogwarts’s champions. Even though the reactions were less blaring than for Krum, people were still very excited by the result of the draw.  Draco, like most of the male students, cheered loudly as the French witch made her way to the adjoining room. As for Diggory, well, let’s just say that the Slytherin table wasn’t the most enthusiastic when his name came up.

     “Well,” Millie stated happily “Let’s kick the bets now, shall we?”

     Pansy was ecstatic “Yes, yes, yes! I put 10 Gallions on Viktor!”

     In less than a second, the whole table had turned into a frenzy. Bets were thrown from everywhere and Millicent had difficulty keeping track of all of them. The Slytherin witch took out a blank parchment and started writing down all the bets but suddenly it felt very quiet around her. She raised her head and realized that everybody's attention was back on the Goblet. The relic had turned red again and a fourth piece of parchment was shot in the air. Dumbledore caught it and his face immediately blanched.

     “Harry Potter.”

     Every head turned at the same time. Once again, the Gryffindor was at the centre of attention. From his place at the Slytherin table, Draco glared at Harry. If Potter was as white as a ghost, Draco was red with anger. The blonde’s body tensed when Harry eventually stood up. _Why was it always about him? Why did he always have to be the_ _special one?_  

     After Harry, followed by most of the teachers, disappeared in the adjoining room, the silent Hall turned into a real bedlam. _Did he put his name in the Goblet?_ _How could he put his name? Is he going to compete? Does that mean there will be four champions? Why didn’t he tell us how to pass the age barrier?_ Draco could feel his hands trembling with anger underneath the table. The feelings bubbling inside of him were so strong, so destructive. Potter, Potter, Potter, still and always, Potter. Draco didn’t know how long he stayed there, his hands clenched and his eyes staring into space. Around him, people were moving and talking but he just couldn’t see it. Most of the students had left the Great Hall by now and the few still there were queuing to put their bet. When he heard one of his housemates ask Millicent if he could bet on Potter, the blonde pretty much lost it. He jumped up and looked daggers at the guilty Slytherin.

     “Bet on that seedy wanker and I’ll personally make you regret ever being sorted into this house. Am I clear?” he snapped, glaring at all the Slytherins within eye range. They all looked at their feet and the blonde strode out of the Great Hall. He couldn’t go to his common room. Everybody would be talking about the draw, about Potter. Instead, he headed toward Damyan’s room. He had heard the password, after all. With a bit of luck, the brunette would be somewhere else and Draco could let out his anger in peace.

     He easily found his way to the Durmstrang quarters and then to Damyan’s room. The painting at the entrance was dubitative but with Draco having the password there was not a lot he could do. The blonde pushed the door open and find himself face to face with the Bulgarian wizard. Damyan looked at him, surprised.

     “Err… Werrre we suppoze to meet orrr something?” ha asked, trying to understand what was going on.

     “No.”

     “Okay. I waz about to leave but…”

     “You can go” Draco said quickly. The brunette laughed softly. He put his jacket back on a chair and sat on his bed. When he didn’t say a word, Draco sighed and continued “I thought you’d be out. I just wanted… a quiet place.”

     “You seem prrretty angrrry forrr a guy looking forrr a quiet place.”

     Draco rolled his eyes. “So what?” he asked, he little more forcefully than he intented to. “I have every right to be angry!” Damyan sniggered and Draco just couldn’t hold it anymore “He’s just a fraud! Bloody hell, why is everybody falling for this bullshit? Poor Potter who lost his mummy blah blah blah. He didn’t seem sad when he was chosen to be part of the Quidditch team, now was he? Or when he rode that stupid Hippogriff! …” Words were pouring out of his mouth now he could not have stopped even if he wanted to. On the bed, Damyan simply waited for him to finish.

     “Do you feel betterrr?” he eventually asked point blank, looking bored.

     “No” Draco replied, exasperated. Why couldn’t people understand? He wanted to ask that question to Damyan but the words got stuck in his throat when the felt the brunette hugging him. “What…What are you doing?”

     “Makin’ you feel betterrr, duh.’

     Draco swallowed but kept silent. What was he supposed to do? For a while, he wondered what he should do with his arms. Right now, they were dangling by his sides and it wasn’t very comfortable. He felt more embarrassed than he ever had. He cleared his throat and mumbled “I’m good. You can let go.” No answer “Please?”

     “Don’t tell lies, Solnyshko. And enjoy ze moment ‘cause my amazing hugs arrre a rrrare thing.” Damyan answered before squeezing the blonde a little harder. Draco gave up and just leaned in the warm embrace. After fumbling with his trousers for a while, he settled on attaching his hands loosely behind Damyan’s back. It felt a little more comfortable than before. It helped that his head fit just under Damyan’s too.

     "What does it mean anyway? _Solysko_?” His voice was softer now.

     A deep laugh escaped Damyan as Draco stumbled with the word. “Solnyshko” he repeated more slowly. “Somethin’ ‘bout yourrr hairrr.”

     “It means I’m blonde?”

     “Something like that.” Damyan smiled slightly.

     “Well” started Draco, sounding petulant “stop calling me that. I don’t like it. Noble people don’t have pet names”

     “I’ll call you whateverrr I want to, razglezeno hlape”

     Draco shifted so that he could glare at Damyan. The Bulgarian didn’t seem really impressed with it, though. Something to do with the size difference, maybe...

     “There you are!”

     The two boys turned their head and realized that the door was still slightly opened. Millicent had passed her head through the door frame and was looking at them with a mischievous grin. Behind her, Pansy was jumping and groaning that she couldn’t see what was going on. When she finally managed to sneak under her best friend’s arm, she squealed.

     “GROUP HUG, YEAY!” She ran toward the two boys still hugging in the middle of the room and jumped on them, tightening her arms around their waists. Draco grunted, tried to extract himself from the heap of limbs but after a minute he had to admit defeat. There was no way out of it. Sulkily, he resigned himself and resumed his position against Damyan. Bloody Halloween...


	3. Dragons and family

_1994, 21 November_

     The weeks following the draw were eery to say the least. Excitement and apprehension were quite a weird mix and everyday it was the same song. People would start the most animated conversations. They would try to guess what the first task would be and, of course, they would discuss the champions’ abilities and disadvantages. But, little by little, students would lower their voices because, what if someone actually got hurt? It had happened before…

     Concern was present in everybody’s mind, but it never lasted. If it did, Potter’s stinks badges wouldn’t have sold this quickly. Draco had been very proud of his creation. Contrary to what he had thought, most of the students weren’t exactly pleased with Potter’s name coming out of the cup. They were either jealous, angry or surprised. Draco was determined to make the most of the situation. He had spent hours trying to figure out all the details of the badge, but he was dedicated to the cause. Maybe a little too much…

     The badges, the teasing, the bad jokes… Potter had his limits just like any other human being. Which might be the reason why the two teenagers had ended up in a fight last week…But this time, they were on Draco’s territory. There was no Moody around to cover the Gryffindor’s ass. Instead, Draco had Snape to back him up. The blonde had walked out freely of the duel and getting to see Granger run away crying and Potter and the weasel getting detention was just the icing on the cake.  For the first time since the draw, Draco had felt good. He had felt like he was finally back in control. Hogsmeade visit came along at just the right time to celebrate that.

     The Slytherins were leaving the school ground when Damyan caught up with them.

     “Mind if I join?” he asked loudly.  

     “On one condition!” Pansy replied excitedly, jumping on the occasion. The Bulgarian looked at her, amused.

     “Oh yeah. What condition is zat?” he asked. The short girl smirked devilishly and looked at him up and down.

     “You have to let me give you a real wizard make over! I mean you’re hot, no denying there. But… if you wanna keep hanging out with us, you’ll have to upgrade…” she stopped and signed “whatever this is.” she added, waving at his clothes with disgust.

     Damyan laughed until he realized Pansy was very serious about it. He turned to the others for support, but it was a lost cause. Millicent started sniggering as soon as Damyan’s baffled face turned toward her. Goyle and Crabbe were shaking their heads disapprovingly while staring at his dark jeans and his grey Henley. And Draco…. Well Draco was staring right back at him with a crooked grin. Shit…

     “You know what Pansy? I’ll let you do yourrr thing becauze I like you.” The brunette shrieked so Damyan quickly held his hands in front of her “But.” The Slytherin sighed but listened none the less. “If I don’t like yourrr clozes options then I will keep mine and you will neverrr, NEVERRR, make comment on my clozes again. What d’you say? Confident enough in yourrr fashion abilitiz?”

     Pansy though about it for a second.

     “Deal,” she said confidently before grabbing Damyan’s hand and dragging him toward Hogsmeade. When they entered the village, Crabbe and Goyle disappeared inside Honeydukes but Pansy didn’t even notice. Her eyes were fixed on the high standard clothing shop at the end of the main road. Still holding Damyan’s hand, she pushed open the doors and made her way in. She forced the Bulgarian to sit in a corner of the fitting room and went back picking different pieces of clothing, completely ignoring the seller. Five minutes later, she was dropping a dozen of articles on Damyan’s lap. “Okay, let’s do this, pretty face!”

     It took Damyan a solid hour to try on all of the clothes. Each time, he would come out of the cabin with a scowl on his face whereas Pansy, Milicent and Draco were all very satisfied with the outfit. _Handsome, very elegant, perfect_. Except Damyan didn’t feel that way at all.

     “It’s too tight” he said, pointing at the dark shirt Pansy had forced on him.

     “It’s supposed to be tight, dummy. It’s more elegant and it highlights your thin waist.” Damyan made a disgusted face.

     “Maybe, but I can’t move. How do you do it, Draco? This shit is uncomfortable as hell!”

     The blonde simply shrugged. “You’ll get used to it.” Damyan sighed and started unbuttoning the shirt. Draco stared for a second before adverting his eyes. Looking meant knowing and knowing meant remembering. Draco was pretty sure he didn’t want that. Nope, he didn’t want to know what Petrov looked like without a shirt on.

     His thoughts and his decision were sent flying through the window when Damyan sat besides him though. The blonde looked for Pansy and Millicent, but the two girls were back in the shopping area.

     “I think she didn’t take it well.” Damyan whispered, smiling. Draco looked at him, lost. “Err, the shirrrt I thrrrew at her? Wherrre werrre you two seconds ago?” Damyan asked, laughing. The blonde felt his cheeks blushing. Once again, he shrugged. For a second, it was quiet between them. Eventually, Damyan moved away from Draco. “I thought you would be morrre enthusiast about zis since you hate my clozes. Sorry if it borrres you that much.” He whispered, disappointment and annoyance clear in his voice.

     Draco looked up so fast, his neck almost snapped. “I… I’m… I’m not bored.” Damyan looked back at him, clearly unconvinced. “I’m not bored” Draco repeated more forcefully. “And I don’t hate your clothes.” He added softly. This time, the brunette looked at him with a “oh-yeah-really?” kind of look. Draco laughed “Well, I’m definitely not a fan but… I don’t know… it fits you, I guess.”

     “Thanks,” Damyan replied with a large smirk on his face. “And just so you know, I think the cold-inaccessible look definitely fits you. It makes all the girrrls’ heads turrrn.” The brunette added before standing and heading to Pansy. _Of course it does_ , Draco wanted to reply. Instead, he just stared at Damyan’s back and let the words slowly sink in. Damyan and Pansy were talking but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. The only thing he knew was that Pansy seemed finaly appeased.  He saw Damyan picking some of the clothes Pansy was holding. On his way back to the cabin, the Bulgarian rose is eyebrows in a funny way and Draco couldn’t help but laugh. The tournament and Hogwarts’s worries seemed a thousand miles away right now. 

     When Damyan came out of the cabin, the three Slytherins mouths opened agape. Damyan had put his dark jeans back on and had slipped on a fine white shirt picked by Pansy. He had let a few buttons open at the top and had rolled up his sleeves a little. A sophisticated dark grey cloak lied on his shoulders. “So?” the brunette asked.

     It took a second for the three Slytherins to find their voices again. “I think I can roll with this” Pansy said, astonished. “It’s not perfect but there’s improvement.” Damyan couldn’t help but laugh.

     The brunette turned to Draco “Good?” The blonde nodded slowly. “Grrreat. Zen, I’ll take the shirrrt and the cloak, and we’rrre done. It’s the firrrst time I’m at Hogsmeade, I want to see morrre than just the inside of a fitting rrroom.”

     Damyan paid for his clothes and the little group was gone. They visited Dervish and Banges to look at the new products, then went to Scrivenshaft to buy Millicent some new quills. They made a small detour to look at the shrieking shack on Damyan’s demand, but the poor guy barely had time to stop and look at the abandoned building. Draco even refused to approach the fence, claiming that the place was “useless and uninteresting.” Damyan had laughed at the blonde shakiness but complied anyway. Eventually, the teenagers ended up around a table at the Three Broomsticks. They talked and laughed a lot. But soon enough, it was time to go back to Hogwarts.

 

 

_1994, 23 November_

     That day, Draco received a note during lunch. "Solnyshko" was written in red ink on the envelop. Draco opened the paper and squinted hard to decipher the narrow and small handwriting. It said something about a surprise and a metting after curfew near a greenhouse. Which one? Who knows... The thing barely looked like a number. Draco managed to recognize Pansy and Milicent' names as well. Whether he was to bring them with him or not was unclear though...  The thing was, Draco didn’t like surprises. He tried to know more about this last-minute rendezvous, but, of course, Damyan was nowhere to be found that day. Draco felt like the brunette was always somewhere new with someone different, which made it very difficult to put your hands on him when needed. In the evening, Draco managed to spot Damyan at the Hufflepuff table. As soon as dinner was over, the blonde stood up to go talk to him, but the Bulgarian had already disappeared along with the guy who was sitting next to him. Draco had no choice but to wait to see what that stupid surprise was. That's when he decided that, yes, he would definitely bring the girls with him. No way he was leaving the castle all alone by night for an unknown location. 

     When the Slytherins arrived at the rendezvous point, Damyan was already there. He was leaning against a greenhouse, talking to another person. The two of them were so close that Draco couldn’t even identify who the second person was. When he saw them, Damyan whispered one last thing to the unknow boy before trotting to his friends. He had a wide excited grin on his face.

     “Ready for some mischief?” he asked while ushering the small group toward the forest.

     Draco stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the dark trees in front of him. “I’m not going in there. I’m cold and tired anyway. Have fun without me.” He blonde turned away but a strong grip caught his arm.

     “Come on. I swearrr it’s worrrth it. And it’s not farrr in the forrrest. Stop being afrrraid.”

     “I’m not afraid” Draco replied immediately, but Damyan could see his shoulders shaking. The brunette engaged in a speech to convince the blonde but a loud growl interrupted him and startled the little group. “What the bloody hell was that?” Draco asked, petrified.

     “Zat’s my surrrprise!” Damyan replied, even more enthusiastic than earlier. “Hurrry up and be quiet.” He walked into the forest, heading straight toward the growls. The two girls followed him immediately, the pull of curiosity being stronger than their fear at the moment. On his side, Draco remained at the entrance of the forest. _Shit, shit, shit…_ He looked around him. He’d have to cross the entire park all alone, by night, if he wanted to go back to the castle now. The Slytherin cursed loudly before running after his friends. When he finally caught up with them, they were hidden behind some bushes and staring at four immense blood-curdling dragons. Draco didn’t know if it was the fear or the shock that got him petrified. All he knew was that he was standing in the forbidden forest, in the middle of the night, facing four man-eaters creatures.

     “Don’t you wanna come closerrr?” Damyan asked softly, now by his side. Draco looked at him sideways, but he couldn’t answer yet. The stress had made his throat too tight to speak. That’s why he hated surprises so much… Instead of answering, he looked at the girls. They were both seated on Damyan’s cloak, only a few meters away from the dragons’ enclosure. They were squeezed together, staring at the winged creature as if it was the most wonderful thing they had ever seen. Somehow, the sight helped Draco’s breathing to slow down. 

     “Dragons are not pets. We shouldn’t be here.” Draco finally said, glad he could keep any emotions to show through his voice. And just because he had to have the last word, he added “All it’s going to get you is a cold.”

     Damyan couldn’t help but laugh. Draco was acting like a petulant child with his crossed arms and frowned nose. “I’ve lived in Bulgaria, Russia and Iceland. I’m not gonna catch a cold in Scotland, Solnyshko.”

     The blonde scoffed “Whatever” and just like that, the two wizards felt back into silence. They remained still, in the middle of the clearing, both looking at the dragons. From time to time, a low growl would tear up the silence of the forest, but Draco got used to the sound pretty quickly. After that, it was easy to let his mind wander and just enjoy the cool air around him. Damyan shuffled beside him and Draco realized he didn’t know much about the disappearing teenager. They had never talked about important stuff like family or ambitions. Draco didn’t even know if Damyan was a pure blood or not. For a second, he wondered what would happen if he wasn’t. Would it change something?

     “Who are you parents?” Draco suddenly blurted, the need to know now omnipresent in his mind.

      Damyan was clearly taken by surprise. His mouth was slightly open without a sound coming out of it and his brows were furrowed. He seemed to be trying to understand where this came from without being able to put his finger on it. “What?” he just asked, even if he had heard it very well the first time.

     “We never talked about our families so” Draco started but Damyan interrupted him.

     “Prrrobably ‘cauz zat’s borrring.” His voice was sharp and his accent stronger than usual. Draco refused to let Damyan’s tone stop him from getting an answer, though.

     “Maybe. But it’s still important if we want to know each other.”

     “Aktually, it’s not” Damyan replied annoyed. He turned toward Draco and continues “Our familiz don’t define who we arrre so… I don’t karrre.” He glared at the blonde one last time before leaving him alone in the middle of the clearing. _Fuck surprises…_ the blonde thought bitterly.

 

 

_1994, 24 November_

     To say that Draco was in a bad mood would be an understatement. Last night had been a nightmare. The walk back to the castle had been the longest one. The tension was still heavy between the two wizards and none of them would say a single word, not even when they parted ways to go to bed. Of course, today couldn’t be an ordinary day. He couldn’t peacefully drown his anger in books at the library or in his room. No, it had to be the day of the first task, which meant that Draco had to act social and bear the hearing of Potter’s name being mentioned All . Day . Long.

     The sun was high in the sky when the students started heading toward the clearing in the forbidden forest. All of them were excited by the prospect of finally seeing their champion in action. Concerning the nature of the task, bets were still on. If he wasn’t this pissed off about yesterday events, Draco would have surely brag that he knew what would happen. He would have even taken pleasure in scaring the champions with the little information he had. He just hadn’t the energy, or the patience, for that today. He followed his housemates to a spot in the bleachers, giving a snarky remark here and there. He was a Malfoy, after all. Appearances had to be maintained at all costs and emotions left behind.

     When the first dragon was brought into the arena, an astounding silence took hold of the crowd. The creature gave a loud growl and the crowd burst into cheers. Just like that, worries for the champions’ safety became a heap of history. On his seat, Draco wouldn’t budge. When a second year from the row behind him bumped in his chair though, he was quick to turn around and make it clear that it would not happen again. The blonde was in a full mood, today and watching a dragon chasing around Diggory’s stupid dog didn’t make it better… On the contrary… Than came Fleur and her fire issue. Draco rolled his eyes. It was going to be one hell of a boring tournament if they kept it up like that…

     Then, it was Victor Krum’s turn to make his entry. He might not have been from Hogwarts but still most of the English wizards and witches rose to their feet and chanted the Quidditch player’s name. Draco was among them. Maybe the Bulgarian wizard would finally up the game and lighten Draco’s day.  Turns out… not that much. It was smart thinking about going for the eyes of the dragon but not when you wanted to limit the damages. Now Draco was in a bad mood AND disappointed. And Potter hadn’t even show up his face yet.

     When the Gryffindor walked into the arena, a new wave of applause rose from the bleachers. Draco looked daggers at the brunette who was standing awkwardly at the entrance, waiting for the whistle blast. Some Slytherin made a nasty remark about Potter’s chances and the whole group of green and silver laughed. Draco as well. He even added a few words of his own. Except, his heart wasn’t in it. His eyes were glued to the Gryffindor. Every time he looked at Potter, the same blurry feelings took hold of him. He craved being in Harry’s shoes, but at the same time, he wished Harry had never existed, so he didn’t have to try his best to be like him, to be better than him. And he didn’t want to face a dragon for that…

     His view on Potter was blocked when someone passed in front of him. Draco looked up, annoyed, only to meet Damyan’s blue eyes. The tall teenager nudged Crabbe and squeezed next to Draco. Still looking into the blonde’s eyes, Damyan put his hand on Draco’s knee and started to trail his nails on his kneecap. A muscle twitched in Draco’s jaw but, apart for that, he managed to keep a straight face. He didn’t look down, either.

     “I’m sorrry for yesterrrday” Damayn said eventually. “I shouldn’t have talk to you like zat.”

     “That’s okay” Draco shrugged. All day he had been angry, resentful and on edge but he didn’t feel any of these emotions right now. Seeing Damyan, he realized he was mostly just disappointed about how things had turned out.

     “It’s not. You werrre being nice and I was an asshole. A jerrrk?” he corrected himself when he saw Draco’s frown.

     The blonde smiled lightly “It’s okay, really. I just wasn’t expecting that from you.” Draco felt Damyan’s grip suddenly getting tighter on his leg. “You’re supposed to be the nice guy, you know.” The sarcastic remark had the expected effect. Damyan quietly snorted and he went back to trailing his nails on Draco’s kneecap.

     “Yeah yeah yeah…” the brunette started lazily, “I’m usually betterrr at keeping my evil-self hidden. Seems like you brrring out the worrrst in me, Solnyshko.”

     “Stop calling me that” Draco whispered angrily. He anxiously looked around, making sure none of his housemate had heard. They were still engrossed in Potter’s performance in the arena. Draco looked for the Gryffindor who was now high in the sky, chased by his dragon. The two teenagers finished watching the task in a comfortable silence. They would make small comments here and there, but nothing more. When Potter retrieved his golden egg, people applauded, and the jury announced the scores.

     “Well, zat waz fun” Damyan stated while standing. Draco followed him. “and enriching.”

     The Slytherin looked at him, skeptical.

     “Now I know zat  I just need to put my hand on yourr thigh to stop you frrrom being angrrry at Potterrr!”

     Draco made a shocked face and blushed. He opened his mouth a few times but nothing coherent came out. He decided that keeping his mouth shut was probably a better idea. Damyan laughed loudly. “Don’t worrry, it will be our secrrret. Now come on, I want you to teach me how to play chess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Thanks for reading this. Please, leave a comment to let me know your thoughts :)


	4. Find a partner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay. I hope it was worth it and you will like this new chapter!  
> If you do, please leave a kudo and a comment.  
> If you don't like it, leave a comment as well so I can improve! 
> 
> Thank you and happy reading !

      With the last weeks of October came a wintery freshness as well as the first snowflakes of the year. As usual at this time of the year, most students were buried knee-deep in homework and because Durmstrang and Beauxbâtons students were there as well, the library was continuously packed. Madam Pince was going crazy. Her days basically consisted in running after misplaced books, scolding noisy students and keeping sticky staining sweets out of her dear oasis of knowledge.

      To avoid the chaos, the Slytherin friends had managed to secure a table at the back of the library. They were pretty secluded there and if Goyle snored loud enough, it covered Madam Pince’s barks perfectly. Everyday, after class, they would come here and spend the afternoon studying. Well… Draco would study. Hidden behind tall piles of books, he could spend hours reviewing notes, going through potion books or writing essays. As for the girls, they would alternate between chatting and asking Draco for his study notes. Crabbe and Goyle’s favorite hobby was napping. And, if they were in a productive mood, they would take a few breaks into their nap time to actually get some work done.

      They liked their comfortable routine. But what they liked even more was when Damyan would pop out of nowhere to break this routine. The brunette had the habit of appearing when you least expected it. He would simply stroll up to them and enter the conversation as if he’d been there the whole time. Pansy and Millicent easily went with it – since Damyan was acquainted with pretty much everyone, he had become a “reliable” source of gossip, which made him quite precious if you asked them.

      Draco didn’t mind the unexpected interruptions, either. Every time they met, Damyan would force him to play chess with him. The Slytherin always pretended to be annoyed at first ( _it’s too easy to beat you, where’s the fun for me, really?_ or _I’m busy, find yourself another willing soul to endure your deplorable chess strategies_ ), but he ALWAYS caved in eventually. He just loved chess. Also, watching Damyan wrinkle his nose while focusing pretty much made his day.

 

_1994, 10 December_

      The rumors had been going on for a few days now. Apparently, the teachers were preparing some kind of special celebration for Christmas. Students were speculating on the veracity of the rumors as well as on the potential form of this celebration. Now that dragons had been brought on school ground, it seemed like everything was possible. Ice show on the Great Lake starring the giant squid, inter school Quidditch tournament, fairy lights show, you name it!

      During lunch, on the 10th of December, McGonagall finally put an end to all these extravagant suppositions by announcing that Hogwarts would be holding a Ball on Christmas Day. The mention of an age limit caused a wave of complaints to rise from the younger students but a sharp look from the Head of Gryffindor put an end to it pretty quickly. As for the other students, they went ecstatic. They never had the opportunity to gather for an event like that before and they were thrilled by the prospect of it. At least they were, until they realized all the downsides of it. First, they would have to learn how to dance. And not the crazy funny kind of dance. Nope. Ballroom dance. Second, they would have to find the perfect outfit to stand out and fit in at the same time. They couldn’t just pick something out of their trunk. They’d have to take it up a notch if they wanted to leave a mark on their friends and partner. Partner. That was the third catch. 

      Even though it was “just a detail” as MCGonagall had put it, many students found sleep escaping them that night (and many nights after that…). He would not admit it to anyone, but Draco was part of these students. The dance, the clothes, that part didn’t scare him. Like most purebloods, he had been attending formal pompous events since he was a kid. He already knew the ins and outs. Finding a partner, on the other hand, was a challenge. Girls had never been a priority to the Slytherin. He knew that, when it’d come to it, the choice would not be his anyway, so why bother?

      The dance changed everything though. He couldn’t attend the Yule Ball alone. People would jump on the occasion to mock him or make crazy assumptions about him and his family. He couldn’t go with any girl either. His father would never allow it. Being a Malfoy implied respecting certain “standards”. A long list of standards… And the Slytherin barely had a couple weeks to find a girl checking all the boxes. 

 

_ 1994, 16 December _

       As snow started to cover school grounds, the semester was slowly coming to an end. Despite the upcoming exams and last papers to hand in, ball proposals were still the number one subject of discussion. Who asked whom? Who rejected whom? Who will be accompanying the champions? The list went on and on… 

      Tired of all this nonsense, Draco found refuge in the music classroom. It had always been one of his favorite room in the castle and lately, he had been spending more and more time there. Despite the fact that the walls were mostly bare, the thickness of the bricks gave him an impression of security and comfort. The blonde closed the door behind him and slowly moved toward the piano. Carefully, he lifted the fall and skimmed his fingertips over the keyboard. This simple contact helped him relax. With a content sigh, the Slytherin sat down and started playing. Closing his eyes, he let the music carry him away from everything. Notes after notes, melodies after melodies, his restlessness faded away.

      “Will you play thiz song to Pansy at yourrr wedding?”

      Draco started and a strident sound came out of the piano. The blonde grumbled something incoherent but didn’t turn around. He already knew who it was. 

       “You know she’z alrrready planning yourrr wedding rrright?”

       The Slytherin grunted. Asking Pansy to be his date at the ball might not have been the brightest idea but she was his friend. One of his best friends, actually. And a safe choice as well. Everybody expected them to be together: the students at school, his father, Pansy’s parents. Even Pansy had this look on her face when she looked at him, like she expected the world from him. He couldn’t give her that. The simple thought made him shudder. He honestly loved Pansy, just not in that way. She was more like a little sister to him. The kind of sister that annoyed the hell out of you at times but still you’d do anything to keep her safe and happy. It just happened that taking Pansy to the dance was making her happy. Though, it also meant leading her on… Yet again, not his brightest idea. 

       “At least, I have someone” Draco drawled before resuming playing. “What about you? Who did you ask?”

       “No one” replied Damyan. He pushed himself from his place against the door and sat on the stool right next to Draco. Silently, he watched the blonde’s long fingers dance on the keyboard. The sight was mesmerizing. 

       “You know…” the blonde started, his fingers still hitting the keys “the more you wait, the more chances the pretty girls will be taken already.” 

       “Good thing I don’t care about pretty girls then.” 

       “What? You like them ugly? Is that an inferiority complex thing? I heard my mom talk about that once but I - “ 

       He was interrupted by a deep laugh. For the first time, Draco looked at the brunette by his side. 

       “I don’t like ugly girlz eizerrr, Solnyshko.” 

       Suddenly, realization washed over the Slytherin and flashbacks flooded his mind. This large blurry figure pressed against Damyan at the greenhouse. The large smile the bulgarian was sporting when he joined them afterwards. All the times he had disappeared after a certain boy had looked his way. 

       “Oh! You like… I mean… Yeah well… That’s great.”

       “Brrreathe, Drrraco.”

       “Shut up, I’m fine” he mumbled. He took a second to regain his composure before speaking again. “I just didn’t know you were… that you liked boys. Do people know? At Durmstrang, I mean?”

       “Some do, some don’t. I’m not hidin’ it but.... It’s prrrivate, I guess.”

       Draco nodded along. “Well, if you are dating someone, people must have seen you together so… it’s cool if they’re accepting.” 

       “I don’t rrreally date the guyz I’m with" 

       Draco frowned. "What do you mean?" 

       “Labels, commitment, compromizes, all of zis, it… Zis is not me. I’m young. Life should be about havin’ fun.” 

       Draco looked at him skeptically.  In his world, love and friendship were submitted to clear-cut rules. He was not stupid enough to believe affairs didn't exist, but people had the intelligence to keep it behind closed doors. Damyan didn’t care about rules or decency. 

       "So, you just have sex with him?”

      Damyan rose his brow and tried to make sense of the conversation. “Him? Who arrre you talkin’ about?”

       “The guy you’re with?” Now both boys were at a loss. “The one from the greenhouse?”

      Despite the description, Damyan was still quizzical. It took a solid fifteen minutes of back and forth to finally reach a conclusion - the mysterious boy was named Jonah (or Joel - this was still unclear) and names didn’t matter to Damyan as long as the other guy was a good lay. Throughout these fifteen minutes, not once did Draco try to hide the disapproving grimace distorting his face. Picturing the brunette jumping from one bed to another just made his stomach clench. It seemed wrong on so many levels but he didn’t dare saying so. Instead, he started playing again. Damyan remained by his side, listening and smiling and completely obliviousto Draco's turmoil.

 

_ 1994, 25 December _

      The day they had all been waiting for was finally here. At 7 pm, student started to gather in front of the Great Hall. They still had thirty minutes to wait before the doors opened. As every teenager would do, they used that time to stare at each other and compare their outfits. Unlike usual, the Slytherins easily blent in. Each and every student had taken his time to dress and get ready. Girls were all sporting long elegant dresses. Men had picked their finest suits. They were all ready. 

       In a corner, the Slytherins were talking quietly. Pansy hadn’t left Draco’s side since he had picked her up in front of her dorm. The witch was wearing a long tube dress and the dark green color of it fit perfectly with the grey suit of her partner. Crabbe and Goyle had opted for some simple but perfectly cut black suits. They both stood proudly beside their dates, two Slytherin girls from third year who were excited to be able to participate. For once, Millicent stayed in the background. The tall girl kept fidgeting and rearranging her clothes. The shiny black dress she was wearing was nothing alike her ordinary-looking school skirts. 

       “You look rrradiant, milady!” 

       Millicent looked up so suddenly, her neck cracked. Damyan was standing in front of her, bowing in an exaggerated aristocratic fashion and she couldn’t help but laugh. He joined her quickly. “I did trrry!”

       “It was horrible” the witch said when she finally got her breath back. “But thank you” she added softly. He smiled and linked his arm with hers. When Draco had told him no one had invited Millicent, the brunette hadn’t thought twice before asking her to be his date. The Slytherin had first refused, saying she didn’t care but the truth was, it hurt. The bulgarian used arguments after arguments and Millicent had to give in eventually. Damyan was right: together, they would slay the dancefloor and make every boy regret not inviting her. 

       “Shall we?”

       “We shall, milord” They laughed and headed inside, followed by the other Slytherins. When they passed the doors, they all gasped in shock. The walls seemed to be covered in ice but the air was still warm. Elegant christmas trees the size of buildings had been installed around a wooden stage. The tables, also coated with magical ice, were covered with thousands of treats and various drinks were pouring from ice fountains. Icing on the cake : magical snowflakes and fairies were dancing in the air to the music. Everything was grandiose. 

      The group walked toward an empty table and sat down. Crabbe and Goyle threw themselves at the food while Pansy was showing off the elegant wrist bracelet Draco had offered her to Damyan. The brunette nodded politely but didn’t miss a beat to tease Draco afterwards. The Slytherin grunted but deep down he was glad Damyan was by his side. 

      All through diner, they talked and laughed. They also tasted all the dishes at their disposal, discovering new savors from France and Russia. Several times, Damyan and Draco ended up fighting for the last bite. When Draco seized the last cannelé, Damyan retaliated by seizing the blonde’s hand and biting into the french pastry. If he nipped at Draco’s fingers in the process, well, neither boy said anything. Damyan because he had his mouth full and Draco because he was too confused to say anything. It took a solid minute for the blonde to recover but then everything was back to normal - they laughed, they bickered and teased each other. 

       When the champions eventually moved toward the center of the dancefloor to open the ball, the atmosphere tensed a little at the table. Pansy was shooting daggers at Granger, Krum’s partner and Drago was scowling at Potter. As he had become accustomed to, Damyan put his hand on the blonde’s knee. Draco started and looked at him. It worked every time. Damyan launched a conversation about fairies and Draco gratefully joined in. The others followed soon. They missed Harry stumbling over Parvati’s feet and Ron fighting with his over decorated robes but it didn’t matter. They were having the time of their life together.

      When the Weird Sisters took the stage, the group decided to join the dance floor. They swirled and goofed around for hours. Eventually, Draco conceded Pansy two slow dances. It felt a bit strange to hold her that way, so close and intimate, buut it was the least he could do. When they left the dancefloor and went back to their table, they noticed Damyan’s spot was empty. Draco looked around and noticed the brunette flirting with a fellow schoolmate by the pumpkin juice fountain. Without thinking, he walked up to them and bumped into the stranger, making him spill his drink. “Sorry” he said, even though his voice was nothing but apologetic. The stranger cursed under his breath but Draco didn’t care. He filled his own glass and looked at Damyan: “Millicent’s looking for you.” To be honest, he had no idea if that was true but it probably was. She was his date after all. 

      “Millie? She’z the one who told me to go forrr it.” The bulgarian said slowly, pointing at the stranger who was still trying to clean his suit behind them. 

       Draco felt blood rushing to his cheeks. “Well… Still. You don’t leave your friends and date to do … that. It's slighting and - ” 

      “Can we talk forrr a minute? Outside?” Damyan interrupted albeit he didn’t seem mad or annoyed. Draco nodded and followed him. They walked down the main corridor and sat down on a low wall in the courtyard. The wind was freezing but Draco welcomed it with pleasure.  

      “ Sorrrry if I upset you. I’m not rrreally uzed to the friend thin’.”

      Draco snorted. “You keep saying that.” He had seen Damyan talking and laughing with other students plenty of times before. Just yesterday, he had been laughing his ass off with Millicent in the Great Hall. Maybe his only problem was with Draco. The blonde knew he wasn’t the warmest person at Hogwarts but he was worth a lot more than the cheap flirt Damyan had been hitting on earlier. At least he knew how to use a Scouring charm… Well, maybe he didn’t need to pinpoint that last part but the Millicent argument was still standing.

      “She’z a girrrl zough” Damyan replied as if it was the most logical thing on earth. 

      “What difference does it make?” the blonde asked, still on edge. 

      “It’s easierrr to befrrriend someone when you’rrre not trrryin’ to get into theirrr pants!”

      Draco gaped “Wait! Are you trying to get into my pants?”

      “Hell no!” the bulgarian retorted. 

      “Yeah well thanks” Draco mumbled. Maybe he wasn’t much better than that frigging stranger after all.

      Damyan sighed “What I mean iz I rreally want us to be frrriendz. But i don’t know… I don’t have boys who are frrriendz, okay. I have acquaintancez and hook-ups but… I don’t have frrriendz. I don’t know wherrre to drrraw the line. And... I don’t wanna mess up like I apparently just did orr make you feel uncomfortable by hittin’ on you or … i don’t know.”  He had lost his usual confidence and was staring expectantly at Draco. He needed confirmation. Something. Anything that would mean they’d be okay.

      Draco snorted “I can take care of myself. I’m not a kid anymore.” 

      “You kind of arrre though”

      “I’m barely a year younger than you are” Draco yelled. 

      “It’s not about the age” he added, annoyed. 

      “Are you trying to say I behave like a child?” It was offending to be treated like that by Damyan. Yet, his own behavior was proving the bulgarian’s point. He was throwing a fit over nothing. Damyan had been scared to mess their friendship up but Draco was doing very well on his own, it seemed...

      “Maybe sometimes you do. But no, it’s not what I meant eizerrr.”

      “Then please enlighten me because it’s seems like my kid brain can’t understand!” Draco was pacing now. 

      “It’s just… you’re innocent and pure” 

      Draco stopped. The conversation had definitely taken a direction he was not comfortable with. A few days ago, they had talked about girls and boys again. It quickly became evident that Damyan had lots of experience when it came to sex. Draco did not. The brunette had jokingly stated that it was obvious since he blushed or cringed whenever Damyan invaded his personnal space. It hadn't bothered Draco at the time. It was just the two of them and Damyan was trying to rile him up. I was just a joke. Now though, it felt like an accusation, like a reason they couldn't be friends because they were too different. 

      “If you’re trying to say that I don’t sleep around then yeah. It’s not a flaw.”

      “Of courrrse not. But…” 

      “You’re a whore. I get it." Draco sat back down suddenly, his arms tightly hugging his torso him. It shouldn’t hurt like that. Knowing that Damyan slept around, it shouldn’t make him feel angry or cold inside. But the truth was, it hurt like a bitch. 

      They remained silent for a while, both of them trying to make sense of the conversation. 

      “And… would you mind bein’ frrriend with a whorrre?” It was asked so quietly that Draco almost missed it. He wanted to say yes He hadn’t finished teaching him how to play chess. He also wanted to show Damyan what he could do on a broom. And he wanted to keep being challenged and teased just so he could tease him back. He wanted all that. He just didn’t know if he would be able to. 

      “I guess we’ll have to figure it out.”


End file.
